Tech Firms Expand Despite Headlines

However, that was the slowest growth rate since 1995’s
4.3% pace according to a new study from AeA and NASDAQ
titled “Cyberstates 2001.”

In the last five years, the high-tech industry created
1.3 million new jobs, with California accounting for nearly
one-fourth of the growth.

State Slots

California fared better than the rest of the nation last
year, adding some 101,080 jobs a 10% increase from the
prior year. Second-place Texas now has 440,718 workers in
the sector, a 4% increase in 2000. The rest of the top
five:

New York (339,131 jobs, up 1%)

Massachusetts (233,848 jobs, up 5%)

Florida (231,413 jobs, up 6%)

High-tech California workers were also high-paid,
garnering an average of $83,103 in 1999 ? up 22% from 1998
totals. Only those in Microsoft’s home state of Washington
earned more an average 1999 wage of $134,009, up 24% from
the prior year.

On a national basis, high-tech workers received a 10%
boost for an average pay of $64,863, nearly twice the
average wage of $33,220 paid in all private-sector
jobs.

Those compensation numbers include salary, bonuses and
stock options which are likely to pull those averages down
this year.